Difficulty has been encountered in securing sutures against movement relative to body tissue. A knot may be tied in a suture to prevent loosening of the suture. However, the knot weakens a portion of the suture and reduces the overall force transmitting capability of the suture. It has been suggested that a suture could be secured using a suture retainer in the manner disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,735,875 and 6,010,525.
When a suture retainer is used to maintain a suture in a desired position relative to body tissue, the material of the suture retainer may be pressed against the suture. During pressing of the material of the retainer against the suture, the suture may be heated to promote a flowing of the material of the suture retainer and bonding to the material of the suture retainer to the surface of the suture by heating material of the suture retainer into its transition temperature range.
When the material of the suture retainer is heated into its transition temperature range, the material changes from a solid condition in which it has a fixed form to a soft or viscous condition. When the material of a suture retainer has been heated into the transition temperature range, the material can be molded around an outer side surface of a suture and bonded to the suture without significant deformation of the suture. The transition temperature ranges for various polymers which are suitable for forming suture retainers are disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,875.